Saturday, January 30, 2010

Do you think President Barack Obama should provide federal stimulus and earmark money directly to Chatham, bypassing Mayor Richard Daley, to build infrastructure, like new libraries and schools, for bike paths, bike lanes and bike racks, and provide funds to local business to expand and employ young people in the neighborhood, and encourage new trendy business like gift shops, antique stores, boutiques, nightclubs, Internet cafes, comedy clubs, sports pro shops and the like. Leave your comments on the comment line.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Two men face armed-robbery charges after they allegedly held up a shoe store with something made to look like a handgun, authorities said.

Joshua Bradley and Brian Brittnum, both 23 and both of the 8200 block of South Throop Street, were charged late Wednesday.

Surveillance video from Payless Shoe Source, 8552 S. Cottage Grove Ave., shows two robbers enter the store about 8:45 p.m. Tuesday and display something that looks like a gun. It turned out to be a staple gun or wrench covered with duct tape, authorities said.

Police said the video showed a bizarre scene.

"This one kid comes into the store, he realized he forgot to pull the ski mask down so he pulled it down real quick -- so the eye holes were off, causing him to begin stumbling around" before adjusting it, a police source said.

And a customer talked on her cell phone during the entire robbery -- didn't even move -- and walked out after purchasing shoes while still on her cell phone, the source said.

Bradley and Brittnum allegedly took cash from the register, then drove off in a 1990 Honda Accord. A person gave the license plate number to police, who traced it to an address in the 8300 block of South Ingleside Avenue.

Officers found the two men and proceeds from the robbery, the masks and the makeshift weapon at the house on Ingleside. Bradley and Brittnum were arrested about a half an hour after robbing the Payless, police said.

Two men are accused of using a fake gun to rob a Chatham shoe store Tuesday night, Chicago police said this morning.

Joshua Bradley and Brian Brittnum, both 23 and of the 8200 block of South Throop Street, have been charged with two counts each of armed robbery in connection with the Tuesday night holdup at the Payless Shoe Source in the East Chatham neighborhood.

The men, wearing ski masks, walked into the Payless, 8552 S. Cottage Grove Ave., about 8:45 p.m. Tuesday and held it up with a fake gun that police described as a drill wrapped in duct tape. Police said the two were given an undisclosed amount of money and fled.

As the pair made their escape, one of the people in the store was able to get the license plate number of their vehicle. Police traced the plate number to a residence in the 8300 block of South Ingleside Avenue.

Soon thereafter when police went to the residence, the girlfriend of one of the suspects answered the door, police said. The girlfriend, to whom the vehicle was registered, gave police permission to search the residence, and Bradley and Brittnum were found in a back room, police said.

The stolen money, the fake gun and ski masks were recovered at the scene.

Bradley and Brittnum are due to appear for their bond hearing today in Cook County Criminal Court.

The National Caucus and Center on Black Aged, Inc. is recruiting seniors age 55 years and older capable of performing part-time work, with paid training, as long as you reside in the State of Illinois. For further information, call now at (312) 567-0318, Monday thru Thursday, 7:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. and Friday, 7:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M.

Do you think the crime wave in Chatham is caused by the fact that 13 of every 100 black teens are employed versus 49 of every 100 white affluent teens in Chicago? Leave your comments on the comment line.

CHICAGO (STMW) -- A man was charged Sunday for a police-involved shooting and foot chase in the Chatham neighborhood.

Lenard Myles, 17, of the 8100 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue, was charged with aggravated assault of an officer and unlawful use of a weapon, according to police News Affairs.

About 4 p.m. Saturday, a Calumet Area saturation team on patrol in the 7900 block of South Langley Avenue approached a male suspect in an attempt to interview him, police News Affairs Officer Gabrielle Lesniak said.

The man fled on foot and officers followed on foot. During the chase, the man turned and pointed a weapon in the direction of one of the officers, Lesniak said.

An officer fired his weapon at the suspect, but did not strike him and did not cause any property damage, Lesniak said.

Myles appeared in bond court Sunday.

Calumet Area detectives and the Independent Police Review Authority, which investigates all police-involved shootings, are investigating.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Applicant must be enrolled in an accredited four year college or university and have at least two quarters or semesters of course work completed. Applicant must be pursuing an undergraduate degree in one of the following areas of concentration: Engineering, Science, Medicine, Law, Computer Science, Business or Commerce, Education, Pharmacy, Architecture, Communications or Social Science. Mail the completed application to M.W. St. John's Grand Lodge, Mose E. Terrel Charities, Inc., attention Scholarship Coordinators, at 7443 So. Ingleside, Chicago, IL. 60619, postmarked no later than January 31, 2010. If anyone needs a hard copy, see the Chatham Avalon Park Community Council office at 8441 South Cottage Grove.

A 17-year-old boy was charged today after he pointed a gun at police during a chase on Saturday in the Chatham neighborhood, officials said.

Lenard Myles of the 8100 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue was charged with aggravated assault of a police officer and unlawful use of a weapon, police said.

Police News Affairs Sgt. Antoinette Ursitti said that about 4 p.m. Saturday, police were patroling near the area of the 7900 block of South Langley Avenue when they attempted to conduct a field interview.

When police approached Myles, he attempted to run away, sparking a foot chase with police, Ursitti said.

During the chase, on the 7800 block of South Champlain Avenue, Myles pointed a gun at police who responded by shooting at the boy, Ursitti said.

Neither Myles or the officers were injured. Police recovered a gun on the scene, Ursitti said.

A man is in custody Saturday night after pointing a gun at police officers during a foot chase in the Chatham neighborhood.

The incident occurred around 4 p.m. when a Calumet Area saturation team on patrol near the 7900 block of South Langley Avenue approached a male suspect in an attempt to interview him, police News Affairs Officer Gabrielle Lesniak said.

The man fled on foot and and officers followed on foot. During the chase, the offender turned and pointed a weapon in the direction of one of the officers, Lesniak said.

Due to this action, an officer fired his weapon at the suspect, but did not strike him and did not cause any property damage, Lesniak said.

The offender was taken into custody and no charges had been filed as of early Sunday.

Calumet Area detectives and the Independent Police Review Authority, which investigates all police-involved shootings, are investigating.

Friday, January 22, 2010

What is the Census?When we all answer the Census, our needs are heard."The actual enumeration shall be made within three years after the first meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent term of 10 years, in such manner as they shall by Law direct."-- Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution of the United States

The U.S. Census counts every resident in the United States, and is required by the Constitution to take place every 10 years.The 2010 Census will help communities receive more than $400 billion in federal funds each year for things like:HospitalsJob training centersSchoolsSenior centersBridges, tunnels and other-public works projectsEmergency servicesThe data collected by the census also help determine the number of seats your state has in the U.S. House of Representatives.We can't move forward until you mail it back.In March of 2010, census forms will be delivered to every residence in the United States and Puerto Rico. When you receive yours, just answer the 10 short questions and then mail the form back in the postage-paid envelope provided. If you don't mail the form back, you may receive a visit from a census taker, who will ask you the questions from the form.The majority of the country will receive English–only materials. Households in areas with high concentrations of Spanish-speaking residents may receive a bilingual (English/Spanish) form.Any personal data you provide is protected under federal law.

A woman was shot in the abdomen and critically injured and two men with her were also wounded during a late Wednesday attack that left the car they were in riddled with bullets in Chatham.

The three were sitting in a vehicle at 11:20 p.m. at 558 E. 76th St. when three men walked up and at least one of them fired into the vehicle before they ran away, police officer Hector Alfaro said.

All three people in the car were wounded, he said.

A source said they were in a late 80s car that was "shot up and riddled with bullets."

After the shooting, the victims drove themselves to East 75th Street and South Cornell Avenue where the Chicago Fire Department responded, Alfaro said.

Fire spokesman Larry Langford confirmed they responded to the Cornell address and took a woman to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in critical condition. Alfaro said the woman is in her 30s.

A man in his 20s who was shot in the back was taken to Stroger Hospital in serious condition, while another man in his 20s suffered a graze wound and was treated at Jackson Park Hospital, Langford said.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

The Chicago Public Library has confirmed to the Chatham Avalon Park Community Council that the newly constructed Whitney Young Branch at 7901 South King Drive will be a two-floor facility. It is now in the planning and land acquisition phase. No date has yet been set for demolition of the existing facility or groundbreaking for a new one. The Facility Committee of the Chicago Public Library will be holding its April monthly meeting to discuss this and other relevant and germane topics about the new construction, most likely to be a Bucktown-Wicker Park replica, at the Whitney Young Branch on April 14, 2010 at 10:30 A.M. We wholeheartedly encourage all member, residents and viewers to attend this meeting for insight into the new building project.

The following bus and rail service changes will become effective Sunday, February 7, 2010:Bus09JD001_1h #216Service Changes Effective February 7Red, Orange, Green, Blue, Purple, Pink and Brown lines:Hours and days of service remain unchanged, but service will operate less frequently.Local bus routes will continue to operate where express routes are being eliminated. Please use local bus routes for alternate service.#6#8#12#14#15#28#29#30#35#36#44#47#49B#50#52#53A#54#56#63W#70#71#72#74#75#76#80#81W#85#85A#88#91#92#97#103#111#112#119#126#146#147#155Revised Service Hours (service will start later and/or end earlier):#1#2#3*#4*#6#7#8#8A#9*#11#12#14#15#18#20*#21#22#24#26#28#X28#29#30#34#35#36#44#47#48#49*#49B#50#51#52#52A#53#53A*#54*#54A#54B#55*#55A#55N#56#56A#57#59#60#62#62H#63#63W#64#65#66#67#68#69#70#71#72#73#74#75#76#77#78#79#80*#81#81W#82#84#85#85A#86#87#88#90#90N#91#92#93#94#95E#95W#96#97#100#103#106#108#111#112#119#120#121#122#123#124#125#126#129#134#135#136#143#144#145#146#147#148#151#152#155#156#157#205#206

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Friday, January 15, 2010

An "infidelity" may have caused a man to fatally shoot a woman and then turn the gun on himself in a murder-suicide in the woman’s Chatham neighborhood home Tuesday.

The two were found dead at 1:24 p.m. Tuesday on the first floor of a home in the 7600 block of South Prairie Avenue, according to police News Affairs Officer Veejay Zala.

Responding officers found the woman’s body in bed with covers over it. When detectives arrived and looked under the covers, the man’s body was found, according to police who said both were shot.

Martha Byrd, 52, and Ralph Linder, 62, were found dead in Byrd’s home at 7603 S. Prairie Ave., according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

Linder, of 7555 S. Prairie Ave., died of a gunshot wound to the head, according to the medical examiner’s office. His death was ruled a suicide. Byrd died from multiple injuries from an assault and her death was ruled a homicide, according to the medical examiner’s office.

A note found on the scene indicated the deaths occurred because of an “infidelity,’’ according to police, who said the man may have been the woman’s boyfriend.

A West Chatham man was arrested this week and has been charged with first-degree murder in the November shooting death of a man in front of a home in the 600 block of East 79th Street, police said today.

Brandon Starks, 22, was arrested Wednesday after fugitive-apprehension officers in the 8000 block of South Ingleside Avenue were conducting another investigation and wanted to interview him, police said in a statement.

Instead he ran, and police took him into custody after a short chase. They ran his name through their investigative database and found that detectives had issued an alert on him, police said.

Officers responded at about 10 a.m. Nov. 3 to a call of a person shot near 79th Street and St. Lawrence Avenue. Police found Bobby Shine, 24, there, shot and unresponsive. Shine was later pronounced dead.

Police did not release give a motive for the shooting.

Starks, of the 7900 block of South Perry Avenue, was scheduled to appear in bond court today.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

One of two men shot in the Chatham neighborhood Sunday afternoon died this morning, officials said.Cody Miller, 21, whose address had not been confirmed, was declared dead just before 12:40 a.m. this morning at Stroger Hospital, where he and another 21-year-old were taken following the shooting, authorities said.Miller and the other man were shot Sunday as they sat in a car on the 7700 block of South Champlain Avenue, police said.Initial information was that one of the two men was dead on the scene, but both survived and were taken to area hospitals with serious injuries, one to Stroger Hospital in serious to critical condition, Zala said.Police responded to a report of shots fired about 2:12 p.m. Sunday and found the men in the car had been shot, according to the preliminary information, Police News Affairs Officer Veejay Zala said.An attacker came up to the car and shot the two men, according to early police information. No one was in custody.Miller turned 21 on Friday, authorities said. An autopsy for Miller had been scheduled for today, but his body was not taken to the medical examiner's office.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Chicago police shot and wounded a man who reached for a handgun after his car was stopped for a seatbelt violation in Chatham this afternoon, police said.

The man was shot in the buttocks and was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. Officials said his wound was not life-threatening.

Two officers had pulled the man and a friend over in the 300 block of East 75th Street around 1:45 p.m. today "after observing a seat belt violation," police said in a release.

The officers approached the vehicle and asked the men to get out "after noticing the occupants were making suspicious movements," police said.

The officers were patting the two down when one of them struggled with an officer and tried to grab the officer's gun, police said.

"During the struggle, the officer observed a handgun in the waistband of the offender," police said. "The offender reached for the gun in his waistband and, due to his actions, the officer's partner fired his weapon striking the offender in the buttocks."

Police said the officers were treated and released from University of Chicago Medical Center for minor injuries.